Method and system for controlling the operation of a telephone exchange from a subscriber connection

ABSTRACT

A method and a system for controlling the operation of a telephone exchange from a subscriber connection. A direct communication connection is established between a subscriber connection and a telephone exchange control unit. One or more command macros executing a predetermined task with associated parameters are supplied from the subscriber connection to the telephone exchange control unit. The commands of the given command macro are executed in the control unit under the control of the parameters associated with each command.

This application claims benefit of international applicationPCT/FI94/00131 filed Apr. 5, 1994.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a method and a system for controlling theoperation of a telephone exchange from a subscriber connection.

In the design of digital telephone exchanges, various teleservices andcontrol capabilities required by them are becoming increasinglyimportant. Competing operators offer a wide variety of modernteleservices to tempt customers to their networks. Standardizationauthorities have also specified a plurality of services that will bestandard properties in the telephone exchanges of all manufacturers.

Modern teleservices include various capabilities for manipulatingtelephone exchange data, which can be performed by a subscriberconnected to the telephone exchange as subscribed control operations. Insuch a case, the subscriber defines the service or changes dataassociated with the service from his or her own telephone. The operatorof the telephone exchange thereby has to guarantee that each subscriberhas access only to his or her own data.

Services are also known in which the subscriber of a service consists ofa group of subscribers. One example of such services is the Centrexservice, in which a group of subscribers forms a private branch exchange(PBX), each of the subscribers being provided with services normallyoffered to PBX subscribers. There are also other services in whichso-called virtual networks, i.e. service groups, are formed within apublic exchange. Even in such cases the customer often also wants tomanage his or her own virtual network. A problem therewith is how tooffer a data management connection which gives access to thesubscriber's own virtual network data whereas no other data areavailable to the subscriber.

Exchange systems normally comprise an operation control interfacethrough which all required changes in data can be made. The operationcontrol interface comprises several hundreds of different commands formanaging the data and the operation of the exchange. The command systemalso comprises verification of access rights, which allows eachtelephone exchange operator to have individually specified access rightsto the different commands. A drawback of the systems presently in useis, however, that the right to use a specific command cannot be confinedto certain subscriber connections only. For example, if an operator hasbeen authorized to change the parameters of subscriber services, thesame operator has simultaneously been authorized to manipulate theparameters of all the subscribers of the exchange. The present-daysystems do not allow distribution of the impact of a command on avirtual network basis, which has prevented extensive offering of controloperations that may be performed via subscriber connections. Inpractice, this type of services is limited to very simple changes madeby the subscriber in functions such as speech transfer.

More demanding data manipulation by the subscriber has to be performedby utilizing a front end computer. The subscriber's operator establishesa connection with the front end computer and manipulates data concerningits own virtual network by software designed for the purpose. The frontend computer, at simplest a PC or a UNIX-based minicomputer, keepsrecord of the virtual networks and associated objects. The front endcomputer then establishes the actual connection with the exchange andexecutes the required commands to effect changes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a method and a system for controlling theoperation of a telephone exchange from a subscriber connection, by meansof which a telecommunications operator is able to provide subscriberswith different access rights to a public operation control interfacedirectly via the subscriber connection without the need of separatefront end computers. To achieve this, the method according to theinvention is characterized by establishing a direct communicationconnection between a subscriber connection and a telephone exchangecontrol unit; supplying one or more command macros executing apredetermined task with associated parameters from the subscriberconnection to the telephone exchange control unit; and executing thecommands of the supplied command macro in the control unit under thecontrol of the parameters associated with each command.

The system according to the invention is characterized in that itcomprises a direct communication connection between a subscriberconnection and a telephone exchange control unit; a control unitinterface program for putting into effect command macros performingpredetermined tasks supplied from the subscriber connection; andparameters associated with each command macro, with the aid of whichparameters the execution of the commands of a supplied command macro tobe executed in the control unit of the subscriber's exchange iscontrolled.

The implementation of the invention thus comprises an interface programoperating between the exchange control unit and the subscriberconnection to provide the subscriber with direct access to the standarduser interface of the exchange system through the call routing of theexchange, which means that the interface has a normal subscriber number,to which the subscriber calls. The subscriber is thus given access,instead of an actual operation control interface to the telephoneexchange, to the execution of one or more predetermined macrocommands inthe exchange control unit. A password that the subscriber gives toaccess the exchange control system is preferably also used as a keywordfor macrocommands available to the subscriber, so that any unauthorizedcommands are automatically excluded from a session.

The operator offering teleservices is capable of generatingmacrocommands easily and in a controlled manner. Macros consist ofcommands of the telephone exchange control unit, which together effecttask execution covering the subscriber's connection or virtual network.Pre-specified command parameters written in the macros define not onlythe subscriber's access rights to the operation control of the telephoneexchange but also the objects and facilities the set values of which thesubscriber is authorized to change.

The macros are disassembled in the control computer of the telephoneexchange into individual commands so that the required command sessionsto the target system are embedded sessions for the subscriber.

The operations performed by the subscriber take place throughinteractive communication. The interface program controls theconversation and switches the required responses (acoustic signals,announcements) to the subscriber at different stages of the conversationby utilizing the call control. For an ISDN subscriber, it is possible toutilize a digital data link and to effect the communication as a normalterminal connection.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following the invention will be described more fully by way ofexample with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a digital telephone exchange provided with conventionaloperation control connections;

FIG. 2 shows a digital telephone exchange provided with an operationcontrol connection according to the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the principal features of asystem according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a digital telephone exchange 1 provided with conventionaloperation control connections. The telephone exchange comprises acontrol and maintenance unit 3 having an operation control connection A.Required changes in data can be performed by a terminal 2 connected tothe operation control connection. According to the prior art, theterminal 2 may also be a front end computer, whereby the subscriberhimself or herself is able to put into effect the required changes byusing his or her own computer 4 through a packet network B.

In the case of a front end computer, the subscriber establishes aconnection with the front end computer and manipulates mattersconcerning his or her own virtual network by software designed for thepurpose. The front end computer, at its simplest a PC or a UNIX-basedminicomputer, keeps record of the virtual networks and associatedobjects. The front end computer 2 then establishes the actual connectionwith the telephone exchange and executes the commands required to effectthe changes. Other important components of the telephone exchange 1shown in FIG. 1 include subscriber-specific connections 5, subscribermodules 6, a switching field 7, network terminal equipment 8 and a callcontrol computer 9.

FIG. 2 shows the digital telephone exchange of FIG. 1 when provided withan operation control connection according to the invention. In thesystem according to the invention, the normal call control software ofthe control and maintenance unit 3 is completed by an interface programestablishing a direct connection C from the subscriber connection 5 tothe control and maintenance unit 3 of the telephone exchange. Theinterface program generates its own number in the number space of theexchange, to which number the subscriber can call from the subscriberconnection in a normal way. This kind of connection can be arranged bynormal updating of the analysing and routing data of the telephoneexchange. The calling subscriber registers with his or her identitynumber, on the basis of which his or her access rights to the controlunit of the exchange are determined.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the operation of the systemaccording to the invention. The interface program 10 implementing themethod according to the invention controls the interactive communicationbetween the subscriber 5 and the exchange control unit 3. Entering acommand session takes place by utilizing an identity number assigned tothe subscriber, which also specifies the macrocommands available to thesubscriber. Tailored macrocommands 10a are compiled by thetelecommunications operator at the same time as the operations to becontrolled by the subscriber are agreed on. The macros contain realexchange commands, depending on the functions to be used with eachsubscriber. The macros are pre-specified so that the subscriber accessesonly his own data or the data of his own virtual network. Accordingly,the execution of the commands of each command macro is controlled atleast partly by prespecified, i.e. fixed parameters, and partly byparameters specified during the session.

Interactive communication with the subscriber proceeds under the controlof the interface program 10. By utilizing the call control computer 9,the program is able to switch the required acoustic signals or evenannouncements in plain text (block 11) at appropriate communicationstages. The ISDN subscriber (2B+D) may establish a direct dataconnection e.g. by a terminal or micro and perform the desired commandsession by using macros available to him.

The format of the command macro according to the invention, which can beexecuted by the subscriber, is as follows:

Macro: (par1, par2, . . parn; par*1, par*2 . . par*N), which is asfollows when disassembled into separate commands:

command1: (par1, par2, . . parn; par*1, par*2, . . par*N) command2:(par1, par2, . . parn; par*1, par*2, . . par*N)

commandM: (par1, par2, . . parn; par*1, par*2, . . par*N)

Each command macro comprises pre-specified or fixed parameterspar1-parn, which define the command which the subscriber is allowed toput into effect in the exchange control unit and a predetermined targetgroup of subscriber connections. The pre-specified command parameterspar*1-par*N written in the macros specify accurately the access rightsof the subscriber with regard to the exchange operation control unit andthe objects the contents of which the subscriber is allowed to change.

An example of a command session put into effect by the subscriber is theswitching to be performed by the attendant of a Centrex exchange inorder to block calls to service numbers through that exchange. Thepre-specified parameters (parx) of the macrocommand that performs theblocking include the number or identity of the Centrex exchange, and theparameters (par*x) to be specified by the subscriber include e.g. thetarget group of the blocking command (the blocking need not concern allnumbers of the exchange), the number combination to be blocked (e.g.9700), and possibly data specifying the blocking command in some otherway. In the example, changes made by the subscriber affect the callcontrol database 9a of FIG. 3 such that the use of numbers beginningwith 9700 is blocked in all or some of the telephones of the Centrexexchange.

It is obvious to one skilled in the art that the different embodimentsof the invention are not limited to the examples set forth above butthey may vary within the scope of the attached claims.

I claim:
 1. A method for controlling operation of a telecommunicationssystem which includes a telephone exchange having a telephone exchangecontrol unit, at least one interface program, at least one subscriber, acommunications line between the exchange and the subscriber, and anumber space for a dialing number corresponding to each respectiveinterface program,said method comprising the steps of:creating a dialingnumber in the number space corresponding to a said interface program;defining at least one command corresponding to a predetermined task intosaid telephone exchange, each said at least one command being responsiveto said dialing number and having associated parameters; establishing adirect communication connection between said subscriber and saidtelephone exchange control unit by said subscriber dialing said dialingnumber, thereby identifying the respective at least one command;identifying said subscriber in the exchange; checking access rights ofsaid subscriber to said telephone exchange control unit, and, in casesaid subscriber has a respective access right to said telephone exchangecontrol unit:supplying from said subscriber to said telephone exchangecontrol unit at least one of said parameters for executing apredetermined task defined by the respective said at least one command;and executing the respective said at least one command in said controlunit under control of the respective said parameters associatedtherewith.
 2. The method according to claim 1, furthercomprising:providing at least some of said parameters, in advance ofsaid supplying, as predetermined parameters.
 3. The method according toclaim 2, further including:said supplying includes specifying ofrespective ones of said parameters by said subscriber during a sessionbetween said subscriber and said telephone exchange control unit; andcontrolling said executing at least partly by said respective ones ofsaid parameters.
 4. The method according to claim 1, furthercomprising:said supplying includes specifying of respective ones of saidparameters by said subscriber during a session between said subscriberand said telephone exchange control unit; and controlling said executingat least partly by said respective ones of said parameters.
 5. Atelecommunications system, comprising:a telephone exchange; asubscriber; a communications line between said exchange and saidsubscriber; said telephone exchange including a telephone exchangecontrol unit comprising at least one interface program, and a numberspace having a number corresponding to each respective interfaceprogram; said telephone exchange further comprising means for creating adialing number in said number space corresponding to said interfaceprogram; means for defining at least one command corresponding to apredetermined task in said telephone exchange, said at least one commandbeing responsive to said dialing number and at least one associatedparameter; a direct communication connection between said subscriber andsaid telephone exchange control unit; identifying means for identifyingsaid subscriber in said exchange; checking means for checking accessrights of said subscriber to said telephone exchange control unit, and,in case said subscriber has a respective access right to said telephoneexchange control unit, said direct communication connection beingarranged to supply to said telephone exchange control unit said at leastone command having at least one associated parameter; and a control unitinterface program arranged for putting into effect said at least onecommand when identified by said subscriber by dialing said dialingnumber, for performing a respective said predetermined task defined bysaid at least one command with the aid of the respective at least onesaid associated parameter.
 6. The system according to claim 5,wherein:said means for defining at least one command is arranged todefine at least one said command such that command comprises a pluralityof parameters at least one of which is arranged to specified during asession between said subscriber and said telephone exchange controlunit, execution of the respective said command being arranged to becontrolled by the respective at least one parameter from among saidplurality of parameters.